The School Co-op

Zul, Shukri and I. Notice the price list on the wall. Hey, were they having drum-sticks?? It was my treat, I think..

the school campus was first occupied in 1974. The pioneer students started the academic session in 1973, temporarily stationed in another school in Kota Bharu.

I entered the school in January 1975. By then the school co-op had already existed. We didn't have a school canteen until 1976 or 1977. So, until then, the co-op did their best to fill in the gap. I remember, apart from selling stationeries, the co-op was popular among the students to buy ice-creams and peanuts. In fact, the cheapest ice-cream then, which was only 5sen each, was used as a substitute for the 5sen coin, if the coop didn't have the small change. Drum stick was only 50sen each!! And it was among the most expensive ones!! - the Sundae cup was the most expensive at 60sen each.

I was elected as a committeee member of the co-op only when I was in form 5. By then, another popular service among the girls was the delivery of sanitary pads to the hostel for purchases by them. The popular brand then was Sanita, and and they were packed in a very distinguish shape box that even after you wrapped it, you could still tell that it was a Sanita box. Having to buy them (even if we went outing in Kota Bharu) and carry them back to the hostel was a very embarrassing task. With the Co-op committeee members bringing them back in huge boxes, the girls were spared from that task.

My only pix of the co-op was when I gave my pet-brother, Zulkifli, a treat in 1978. My classmate, Shukri was there too, together with the person who shot the pix, but I can't remember who! :-( .


The co-op occupied one of the storerooms in the workshop block, and we used desks as our counters.

I heard that the coop now is very big and successful. It also occupies a room next to the school hall - more strategic and noticeable.